This invention relates to axial gap electrical machines, and more particularly relates to such machines employing
Permanent magnets. Axial gap electrical machines have been proposed in the past. The background art has a number of inventions that do not anticipate the present invention for example: Casale U.S. Pat. No. 2,138,292 discloses a winding arrangement that has overlapping windings for a radial gap machine as opposed an axial gap machine. Moreover, while the windings are over lapping the topology of these winding force consecutive working sections of windings in the specified slots to move in opposite directions in contrast to the present invention where the two working conductors and indeed the winding working section move in the same physical direction around consecutive turns. Scott U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,392 discloses an axial gap machine wherein the stator with windings is built on a back iron support element with slots to accommodate the windings—in sharp contrast to the present invention where consecutive windings are interlocking and generate a complete annular ring that is self supporting and may be attached to an axle or housing using standard methods of attachment of annular rings to axles and external housings. A back iron in the present invention is an optional element. Kitson U.S. Pat. No. 3,079,519 discloses a winding arrangement for a radial gap machine wherein the windings are each configured to fit into radial slots. However, in contrast to the present invention the conductors are arranged in the windings to present a wide surface area orthogonal to the direction of the magnetic flux thereby in contrast to the present invention where the orientation of the conductors minimize the thickness in the direction of the magnetic field to reduce eddy current losses. Cho U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,953 presents a stator for an axial gap machine that has a construction that with a slotted and non slotted section that is different to other constructions that use separate slotted and non slotted sections. The present invention does not use this architecture in any way. Beddows U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,273 discloses a method of making a hard slot coil with a focus on the insulation process. It is disclosed for radial gap machines with a single radial working air gap. It therefore has no relevance to the present invention which has a pair of working air gaps in an axial gap machine. Even the winding topology of Beddows is not relevant with regard to the present invention. Beddows insulates multiple strands of rectangular conductors 12 placed in slots in a radial gap machine with conductors oriented to have their width across the slot and in the direction of relative motion therefore maximizing eddy current losses—in sharp contrast to the present invention where the conductors are placed to have minimal width in the direction of motion. On another measure the winding of Beddows therefore has multiple conductors in the direction of the field in sharp contrast to the present invention where only two conductors are required in the direction of the magnetic field.
Moreover, the turns in each of the windings are stacked in the direction of the field in contrast to the present invention where they are stacked orthogonal to the field. Swett U.S. Pat. No. 6,633,106 discloses a magnet housing structure for high speed operation of axial gap motors that provide reduced stress and there fore breakage of magnets. Moreover it discloses a back iron structure attached to the rotor that deforms under high speed. The issues disclosed do not anticipate any of the aspects of the present invention. In contrast the deformation in the present invention of the rotor utilizes a unique architectural feature of the present invention where the stator windings and indeed the rotor magnet structures have mating geometries that increase the air gap at high speed. No aspects of this are disclosed in Swett. Other items in the background art Jermakian U.S. Pat. No. 6,137,203. Williams U.S. Pat. No. 6,046,518, Jun U.S. Pat. No. 6,172,442, Kessinger U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,896, Hazelton U.S. Pat. No. 6,140,734, Smith U.S. Pat. No. 6,181,048, teach aspects of axial gap machines or electrical machines in general but do not anticipate the present invention.
Although the electric machines described in the this background art are useful for some applications, experience has shown that an improved axial gap machine can be created by departing from the design techniques taught in such machines and following the principles taught and claimed in this application.